Rais Syuriyah Urges 35th NU Congress to Prioritise Unity
Rais Syuriah of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), Prof KH Zainal Abidin, has expressed hope that the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Congress in Jombang, East Java, will prioritise unity in order to contribute to building the nation.
“It must be carried out with full joy, solemnity, and prioritise the unity of Nahdlatul Ulama members,” said Kiai Zainal Abidin in Palu on Sunday (23/8/2026).
He stated that the congress, which takes place at the end of August 2026, is the organisation’s highest forum and holds a strategic position in determining the policy direction and future of NU. For this reason, the congress must be conducted in an orderly manner and reflect the tradition of deliberation that is an important part of the organisation’s life.
“NU’s deliberation must produce decisions and leadership that bring the organisation to be even better for the nation and state,” he said.
He explained that the event is not merely a moment for changing or appointing the organisation’s leadership. He revealed that the congress must become an intellectual and strategic space for evaluation, as well as for formulating NU’s response to various social, religious, national, and global challenges.
Entering its second century, various issues and challenges may differ from the problems faced by the muassis, or founders, of NU at the beginning of the first century.
The changing times demand that NU possess the ability to read developments more broadly, without abandoning the fundamental values and scholarly heritage bequeathed by the organisation’s founders.
Including maintaining a balance between Islamic, national, and humanitarian values, the decisions produced in the upcoming forum are expected not only to be internal organisational matters but also to have relevance to the lives of the wider community.
“Differences of opinion are commonplace in a large organisation. However, such differences must not eliminate the brotherhood and cohesiveness of NU members,” said Zainal, who is also the Chair of the Central Sulawesi Interfaith Harmony Forum (FKUB).
He added that NU’s future leadership needs to strengthen the tradition of scholarship, cadre development, social services, and the organisation’s contribution to national development.
“NU must continue to be a civil society force capable of presenting a moderate, inclusive, and constructive Islam in national life,” said the expert on modern Islamic thought at UIN Datokarama Palu.